Legal News 03/2017

Lawyer: Photos of Man Suspected of Using Fake Bills Show Cop. The lawyer for a Somerville police officer says his client is pictured in photos released by police of man leaving a Cambridge hotel after they say he used bogus bills to pay for a meal ...(Mar 1, 2017, U.S. News & World Report)

ROME -- An American ex-CIA agent convicted by an Italian court of involvement in the kidnapping of a Muslim cleric on a Milan street will avoid extradition to Italy and will instead be set free, according to her lawyer. The news came less than 24 hours ...(Mar 1, 2017, CBS News)

Ex-judge banned from Nevada bench for handcuffing of lawyer

FILE – In this Feb. 23, 2015, file photo, Conrad Hafen presides over a hearing in Las Vegas. The former judge, who lost a re-election bid, has been barred for life from the court bench in Nevada as punishment for ordering a defense attorney handcuffed ...(Mar 1, 2017, The Seattle Times)

Lawyer: Experts Say Man Who Beheaded Son Ready for Release

Lawyer: Experts Say Man Who Beheaded Son Ready for Release. A lawyer says experts believe her client is ready to be released from a Virginia psychiatric hospital where he was sent after decapitating his 5-year-old son and saying he was trying to save ...(Mar 1, 2017, U.S. News & World Report)

White House lawyer: Nothing 'nefarious' in Conway's Ivanka Trump plug

WASHINGTON — Top White House aide Kellyanne Conway did nothing "nefarious" when she promoted Ivanka Trump's fashion line on television, a White House ethics lawyer said in a letter released Wednesday. The letter from White House Deputy Counsel ...(Mar 1, 2017, USA TODAY)

The White House's top ethics lawyer held two meetings with Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway to instruct her on ethics rules after she used a Fox News interview to urge viewers to purchase products from Ivanka Trump's fashion line. However, White ...(Mar 1, 2017, Politico)

BOSTON – The real killer of two men in a hail of gunfire at a stoplight was not former NFL star Aaron Hernandez but rather the government's star witness in his double murder trial, his attorney charged Wednesday in opening statements, revealing the ...(Mar 1, 2017, Fox News)

Deputy City Solicitor Lisa DeSousa said the addition of the fourth full-time lawyer "will allow the city to robustly address code enforcement issues in the Housing Court, as an important tool in blight reduction." With the addition of Brown, the Code ...(Mar 1, 2017, MassLive.com)

Kellyanne Conway is seen as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer speaks at a press briefing at the White House. The White House has concluded that Kellyanne Conway acted "inadvertently" and without bad intentions when she said on national ...(Mar 1, 2017, CNBC)

Still, Yahoo's head lawyer, Ron Bell, got bounced for not doing his job, said the company, which noted that the “Committee found that the relevant legal team had sufficient information to warrant substantial further inquiry in 2014, and they did not ...(Mar 1, 2017, Recode)

Lawyer tells judge he set up fake Facebook account for known terrorist

A lawyer suing Facebook for allowing itself to be used by jihadists and terrorists told a federal judge in Brooklyn on Wednesday that he had set up a fake account this week for notorious Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook, a U.S. government-designated ...(Mar 2, 2017, Newsday)

Former CUNY lawyer tapped to head city's Campaign Finance Board

Mayor de Blasio tapped the City University of New York's former top lawyer Wednesday to take over enforcing donation and spending rules on city pols going into the 2017 election. Frederick Schaffer, who last worked as CUNY's general counsel, will helm ...(Mar 2, 2017, New York Daily News)

SAN FRANCISCO — Yahoo's top lawyer, Ronald S. Bell, resigned Wednesday, and its chief executive, Marissa Mayer, lost her 2016 bonus after a board investigation of the 2014 theft of information on more than 500 million user accounts. Senior executives ...(Mar 2, 2017, New York Times)

A Miami child welfare judge is threatening to jail a lawyer for the Florida Department of Children & Families, suggesting in a strongly worded order that agency attorneys lied to her about the welfare of foster children who may have witnessed a ...(Mar 2, 2017, Miami Herald)

Bush's ethics lawyer on Sessions talks with Russia ambassador: 'Good way to go to jail'

Richard Painter, the former White House ethics lawyer to President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2007, blasted Attorney General Jeff Sessions · Jeff SessionsPelosi on Sessions: 'We are far past recusal' 25 senators urge Trump administration to respond to ...(Mar 2, 2017, The Hill (blog))

Chinese activist's lawyers slam purported interview with him

BEIJING (AP) — Lawyers representing a prominent detained Chinese human rights campaigner complained that a purported interview with him published Thursday by a state-run newspaper constituted an abuse of power. The Global Times said Jiang ...(Mar 2, 2017, Beloit Daily News)

Judge raps Pasco foreclosure lawyer and one of his clients

At a hearing in January on Bayview's motion for sanctions against Kalogianis, the lawyer invoked his constitutional right to remain silent and then left the hearing, the judge noted in her ruling. When Verrangia — who is a neighbor of Kalogianis ...(Mar 2, 2017, Tampabay.com)

A federal judge in Manhattan has expressed “grave concerns” about the conduct of a lawyer who drafted an objection to a class-action settlement that was, in the judge's words, “frivolous for a variety of reasons.” U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni is ...(Mar 2, 2017, ABA Journal)

Ex-Bush ethics lawyer: Sessions can't continue as AG

(CNN) A former top ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush White House said Thursday that Attorney General Jeff Sessions should leave his post after it was revealed Sessions met twice with the Russian ambassador during the 2016 campaign, then denied it ...(Mar 2, 2017, CNN)

City of Oakland Replaces Longstanding Coliseum-Oracle Board Members With Uber Lawyer, McElhaney

A major shake-up is coming to the board that oversees Oracle Arena and the Oakland Coliseum. According to a list circulated at a recent City Council meeting, Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and sports agent Aaron Goodwin are out, replaced by ...(Mar 2, 2017, East Bay Express)

Uber ex-engineer who alleged sexism retains lawyer

SAN FRANCISCO — The former Uber engineer whose critical blog post has stirred a storm of controversy for the ride-hailing giant has retained an attorney, charging that her former employer is blaming her for a rash of app deletions. Susan Fowler, whose ...(Mar 2, 2017, USA TODAY (blog))

Lawyer asks Trump to deport drug lord "El Chapo"

MEXICO CITY (AP) - A lawyer who has worked on behalf of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is trying a novel legal tactic: He is calling on U.S. President Donald Trump to deport the Mexican drug lord back home from his jail cell in the United States. Lawyer ...(Mar 2, 2017, Fox5NY)

Lawyer jumps to his death from Park Avenue building

A Manhattan lawyer jumped to his death from his luxury Park Avenue high-rise Thursday and landed in front of stunned witnesses working out in the building's gym, cops and witnesses said. Kenneth Freeling, 59, who lived on the ninth floor, leaped around ...(Mar 2, 2017, New York Post)

Lawyer's threatening emails during divorce land him in trouble with court

The unusual case stems from Spain's 2015 divorce case, which led to criminal charges being filed against Spain in Fayette County because his ex-wife's lawyer practices there. Spain pleaded nolo contendre – meaning he did not contest the charges – to a ...(Mar 2, 2017, Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog))

Sweet Cakes lawyer: Cake is art

"For the Kleins, every custom cake they produce is a reflection and celebration of this specific couple," argued lawyer Adam Gustafson before the Oregon Court of Appeals in Salem on Thursday, March 2. "That cake is art." Aaron and Melissa Klein were ...(Mar 3, 2017, Pamplin Media Group)

Top Bush ethics lawyer: Russia could have blackmail on Sessions, and he must resign

President George W. Bush's top ethics lawyer told Business Insider on Thursday that while it was "debatable" whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions perjured himself during his Senate confirmation hearing, he should still resign. Richard Painter, a ...(Mar 3, 2017, Business Insider)

Detained DREAMer's lawyers fight the deportation clock

(CNN) Fighting to keep 22-year-old DREAMer Daniela Vargas from deportation, her lawyers are in a race against time. They were preparing special documents Thursday night, hoping to stop the expedited deportation of Vargas, which could happen as early ...(Mar 3, 2017, CNN)

Ask Amy: Lawyer confronts relationship wage disparity

Dear Amy: I am a lawyer. I am financially secure, but I'm dating someone who has a lot more discretionary income than I do. He is the co-owner of a business with offices in several states. We have a lot in common and enjoy our time together, but as we ...(Mar 3, 2017, Washington Post)

Zimbabwean lawyer says reporters arrested for Mugabe article

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A lawyer in Zimbabwe says two journalists and a publishing executive have been arrested for an article reporting that the health of 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe is deteriorating. Human rights lawyer Obey Shava said ...(Mar 3, 2017, Beloit Daily News)

Zimbabwean Lawyer Says Reporters Arrested Over Mugabe Article

A lawyer in Zimbabwe says two journalists and a publishing executive have been arrested for an article reporting that the health of 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe is deteriorating. Human rights lawyer Obey Shava said Friday that the article was ...(Mar 3, 2017, Voice of America)

China Brands Reports It Tortured Rights Lawyer as 'Fake News'

The People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party, early Friday tweeted about allegations that a human rights lawyer detained in the country had been tortured in custody. Its use of language would be familiar to anyone who ...(Mar 3, 2017, NBCNews.com)

10 Surprising Marriage Tips From a Divorce Lawyer Who's Seen It ALL

Yet the last person most people would ever go to for marriage advice is a divorce lawyer. That's not surprising. Divorce lawyers are generally in the business of ending marriages, not saving them. But desperate people do desperate things. At least ...(Mar 3, 2017, Brides.com)

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, center left, smiles at his grandson at his 93rd birthday celebration event in Matobo, Matabelelan South on Feb. 25, 2017. Mugabe flew to Singapore on Wednesday for what his spokesman called a "scheduled medical ...(Mar 3, 2017, Chicago Tribune)

Lawyer: Judge's gag order too broad in missing teacher case

An attorney for Georgia media organizations says a judge acted too broadly by ordering lawyers, investigators, potential witnesses and family members to keep silent in the case of a teacher who vanished nearly 12 years ago. Superior Court Judge Melanie ...(Mar 3, 2017, ABC News)

Lawyer Marcel Ceccaldi said Le Pen had told the judges she would not attend before the end of the presidential campaign, to be held in two stages in April and May, in which she is one of the leading candidates. "Of course she won't go," Ceccaldi said ...(Mar 3, 2017, Reuters)

NSA lawyer advocates for one agency to handle cyber

The National Security Agency's (NSA) lead lawyer in a recent speech made the case for creating one federal agency to spearhead the government's cybersecurity efforts. Glenn Gerstell, the NSA's general counsel, proposed that federal cybersecurity ...(Mar 3, 2017, The Hill)

Thomas S. Williamson Jr., a labor and employment lawyer who served as solicitor for the Labor Department and helped devise the NFL's “Rooney Rule” to encourage greater diversity in the hiring of coaches, died Feb. 24 at his home in Washington. He was ...(Mar 3, 2017, Washington Post)

Lawyers try to delay 'all-American' Argentine's deportation

Sanders said federal agents in two unmarked cars pulled them over five minutes after they left the news conference in Jackson, where Vargas had joined clergy, civil rights lawyers and advocates in speaking out against President Trump's immigration ...(Mar 3, 2017, The Seattle Times)

FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 27, 2012 photo, Jose Escobar, from El Salvador, shares a laugh with his son, Walter, next to his wife, Rose Marie Ascencio-Escobar, a U.S. citizen, at their south Houston home. The deportation of a Houston-area father after ...(Mar 3, 2017, ABC News)

Deported Texas man's lawyer: Policy goes after good people

HOUSTON — The attorney for a Houston-area father who was deported after his temporary reprieve was revoked following new enforcement rules enacted by President Donald Trump says the incident is an example of a U.S. immigration policy that's going ...(Mar 3, 2017, Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Lawyer: Matt Barnes may be playing in NBA Finals, needs later trial date

"I have reason to believe my client will be playing in the NBA Finals," lawyer Alex Spiro, representing Barnes, said in court in Manhattan on Friday, according to reports. "Good luck," judge Herbert Moses said, agreeing to the new date. Barnes signed ...(Mar 4, 2017, ESPN)

Lawyer threatens supporter of Rocket Market concerts on South Hill

A lawyer hired by a handful of neighbors who want summer outdoor concerts at the Rocket Market shut down is trying to force a woman who set up a GoFundMe page to defend the market by paying its legal fees. As of Friday afternoon, 160 people had ...(Mar 4, 2017, The Spokesman-Review)

On Friday, more Lakers news broke about more drama. Jeanie's brothers, Jim and Johnny, were trying to overthrow their sister, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times. It's said that Jim and Johnny were planning a meeting to elect a new board of ...(Mar 4, 2017, For The Win)

Lawyer: Buss brothers weren't trying to oust Jeanie

Last week, Twitter was making Game of Thrones jokes about how Lakers president and part-owner Jeanie Buss fired her brother, Jim Buss (plus, Magic Johnson was named president of basketball operations and GM Mitch Kupchak was let go). On Friday ...(Mar 4, 2017, USA TODAY)